Models in which a camera module is incorporated inside a mobile phone account for the majority of recent mobile phones. Since these camera modules must be accommodated inside the mobile phones, the demand for reduction in size and weight is larger than that for digital cameras.
In addition, examples in which camera modules of a type that exhibits an automatic focus (AF) function using a lens driving device, are installed in electronic apparatuses such as mobile phones, are also increasing. There are various types of lens driving device such as a type that uses a stepping motor, a type that uses a piezoelectric element, and a type that uses a Voice Coil Motor (VCM), and these are already circulating on the market.
Meanwhile, in this manner, in a circumstance in which camera modules having an automatic focus function are commonplace, an image stabilizing function attracts attention as a function that has the following features. An image stabilizing function is widely adopted throughout the world in digital cameras and movies, but meanwhile, in mobile phones, since there are problems in terms of size, although there are still few adoption examples, new structures of image stabilizing mechanisms in which miniaturization is possible have been suggested, and cases are steadily increasing. In the coming years, there is a high probability that camera modules for mobile phones in which an image stabilizing function is installed, will become mainstream.
In PTL 1, a “barrel shift system” image stabilizing device is described as an image stabilizing mechanism. Since the “barrel shift system” which displaces an entire lens in an integral manner in a direction that is perpendicular to an optical axis, is excellent in terms of performance since comparative miniaturization is possible, this system is the mainstream as an image stabilizing system for mobile applications such as mobile phones including smartphones.
The camera module of PTL 1 is provided with a suspension wire in which one end is fixed to a portion (a base) on an image sensor side of the camera module, and another end is fixed to a portion (an extended portion) on a lens barrel side of the camera module. In this instance, the image sensor includes a light reception surface on the lens barrel side. An optical axis of the lens barrel extends in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the light reception surface of the image sensor. Further, the suspension wire restricts a movement direction of the lens barrel to a direction that is perpendicular to the optical axis.
In this instance, for example, when the camera module of PTL 1 is dropped, there are cases in which an impact is applied to the suspension wire. However, even if an impact is applied to the suspension wire, and force acts in a longitudinal direction of the suspension wire, the extended portion flexes easily due to having a greater flexible property than other portions of the camera module. In this manner, the extended portion functions as a fracture prevention member that prevents fracturing of the suspension wire.